How I Met Your Brother
by AJ Maxima
Summary: I don't think Haruhiko counted on there being another Takahashi at our residence the morning he rang the doorbell and tried to kidnap my brother. If he did, he would've at least been aware of which was which before everything spiraled out of control. Joke's on him, I guess. Joke's on me, too, if I didn't find a way out of here because if I didn't take my medicine soon, I'd die.
1. Nowhere To Go But Down

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. *thumbs up* Good talk.

 **Feedback is encouraged so feel free to drop me a review! Critique never bothers me!**

 **Thanks for reading, to the few who might be! :)**

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 **Chapter 1: Nowhere To Go But Down**

 _The Usami's weren't normal._

I'm serious! What normal person would ever offer their captive _tea_ after shoving them in their car and forcing them into their mansion? There was no way for my brain to process his rationality, and as I sat in what looked to be a small lunch area, my green eyes darted around in search of a house phone to call the police. It just seemed as if the longer the day dragged on, it was only going to get crazier, and I ruefully wished I had enough money to buy a cellphone. It would've worked miracles at a time like this.

Everything felt eerie except for the morning sunlight peering in from the large double window, and the aura the room emitted gave me cold vibes. _It looks so wastefully spacious_ , I thought between skeptic glances. The fancy, velvet drapes were a forest-green color, and the floor and walls were made of some simple dark-based woods. Even the small, round coffee table and chair I was occupying were uninviting earth tones. The only thing that made this area look amiable was the white, porcelain tea set with golden rims, and I'm guessing each red leaf embroidering the handles and bases had been hand painted, considering how swanky this place looked. A large teapot to match was sitting idly on the large silver tray to my right and the butler, Sebas—Tanaka! He said his name was Tanaka.

 _I've got to remember that_ , I mused as an afterthought. Well, _Tanaka_ was placing a plate of sausages and biscuits on the table.

My eyes kept darting around in search of a clock, but I couldn't find one, only full bookshelves that matched the wood of the round table… _It's time to take my medication_ , I considered, bouncing my knees in an attempt to contain my jitters. _If I don't take it soon…_ I could feel my body fighting against me, and when I placed my left hand on the table, I saw that the tips of my fingers were involuntarily having small tremors... It was happening again.

At this rate, it'd be difficult to do a lot of things…

"Would you like some breakfast, Master Takahashi?" Tanaka asked me in the kindest of voices. There were crinkles surrounding his aged eyes as he tried his best to give me a smile, but I knew he felt as uncomfortable as I did. His long, dark hair was tied back in a small ponytail, and I watched as it shifted when he leaned forward and reached for a small cup of white sugar near the teapot.

I took a moment to really observe him—the way his gloved fingers handled each utensil and sorted around the table like fluid clockwork, the smoothness of his black suit and matching tie… It had no wrinkles, only perfectly ironed creases… and then, there was the way his forced smile never left his lips. It was kind of sad, and when his dark eyes glanced at me, awaiting my reply, I nervously waved my hands in front of my chest, offering him the same expression. "Ah, no! But thank you very much!" I bowed my head several times.

"Plain," a shrewd voice said from across the room. It was coming from the large entryway that led into the hall. "And to think I added your name to my family's registry as my spouse."

 _Huh?_ I thought, feeling my brows rise. _Family registry as his…? Is that even legal…?!_ I already knew the answer, of course. A few months ago I overheard some women saying it wasn't, but partnerships were acceptable in some cites—whatever that meant.

Tanaka straightened up in a poised movement while I stood so fast the chair I'd been sitting in slid back and tumbled over. Feeling annoyed, I slammed my palms against the table, eyeing my kidnapper with what I assumed to be a glare—but most people told me when I get upset I looked like my tail was between my legs. " _You_!" I pointed at him accusingly, seeing my finger twitch. _Dang tremors…_ "Why did you bring me here?!"

Haruhiko fixed his black glasses, and I couldn't help but follow his dark eyes as they roamed my simple green jacket, my beige shirt, denim jeans and my white sneakers. "You're quite plain," he said.

The 'tch' sound I produced was out before I realized it as I placed my arms near my sides and curled my hands into fists. _My head hurts… but what's this guy's problem?_ He was dressed in a black suit, a red tie and his short, dark-brown hair swayed in the slightest of movements as he approached us.

"I was expecting Takahashi, Takahiro to look older."

 _Taka… Takahiro?_

My eyes rounded and I inclined my head. "W-wha…?" I couldn't help but furrow my brows, and when he was three feet in front of me, I took a step back. "Who are you?"

"I told you before we arrived that I'm Usami, Haruhiko," he replied. He was so still when he talked, almost robotic. _Definitely creeper material…_ "I've brought you here today because you know my brother, Akihiko."

Not trusting my voice, I chose to remain quiet, opting to give him a curt nod. I was afraid of what he might do once he found out I wasn't Takahiro because I assumed if he had the guts to abduct me, he had the same ballsy sentiments about murdering me and dumping my body in a gutter later…

 _What if he kills me after he finds out I'm not who he thinks I am?_

"And you're the one he loves most in the world," Haruhiko continued, breaking me from my thoughts. "Takahiro…" He reached forward and grabbed my left wrist, but instead of holding it affectionately like in the movies, he just… held it? It was like romance was foreign to him. "I'm going to fall in love with you today."

 _…Say what?_ There was a lot of different ways he could've worded that, and I'd still be giving him the same 'I don't comprehend' expression I was giving him now. My face was burning, but I wasn't sure whether it was from knowing my brother was being fawned over by a guy, knowing that said guy's brother had kidnapped me, or knowing said guy was trying to…

 _Wait,_ what _?_ I thought again, blinking repeatedly until I could formulate a decent thought. "Um…" Okay, that wasn't a proper sentence, but it was the best I could come up with. He was wholeheartedly _strange_!

Haruhiko was still completely motionless; his other hand at his side... It freaked me out how immobile he was, how indifferent his expression appeared. "How long have you been romantically involved with Akihiko—?"

Reality came back to me, and I made a shriek unknown to man as I snatched my hand away and raised both palms up defensively. "He hasn't—!" I shook my head, forgetting that I was pretending to be Takahiro. "We're _not_ together!"

Haruhiko scoffed, fixing his glasses. "I see… So what Isaka spoke was true." He wasn't making sense.

 _Who?_ "Isaka—? _HEY_!" He had grabbed my right arm again, and he was dragging me off to God only knew where. Poor Tanaka even appeared to be surprised, but he didn't stop him, even though the look in his surprised eyes told me that he wanted to.

I squatted during my struggle so that I could try and weigh Haruhiko down, pulling at his fingers that had securely latched around my wrist. "Let go of me!"

"Akihiko will try and find you if he comes," he said. He easily overpowered me and yanked me up, pulling me out of the room. "I can't allow that to happen. I'll have to keep you safe until he leaves."

Safe? _Was I really safe in the hands of an abductor?_

Oh, don't tell me... I don't wanna know…

"You're a Usami now," he stated. "You're on the registry."

"That's not even legal!" I shouted. _When Takahiro finds out about this…!_ I could only imagine what the rest of his family might think about some forged documents claiming him to be a Usami… Did this mean Takahiro was going jail if someone found out about this…?!

Fighting Haruhiko was a lost cause; I just wasn't strong enough to take him on, even if my flight or flight responses had kicked in… I don't even remember what the rest of the mansion he dragged me through looked like due to both of our aggressive behavior. The only thing I comprehended was Haruhiko jerking me upstairs—despite my pleas—tugging me down the hall of the second floor, pushing me into a room and locking the door from the outside.

How'd he go from offering me tea—which I assumed to be poisoned—to locking me away like this? He was definitely giving me sociopathic vibes… I would've laughed at my own dark humor—which really was no laughing matter—had I not suddenly felt so tired, and I leaned against the wooden door. My forearms were pressing against it for support until my shaking legs gave in and I abruptly sank to my knees. Lifting my fingers, I saw that they were trembling again and I plopped them in my lap. "I've gotta get out of here," I murmured, noticing my breathing was a little off and my eyesight blurry. My head was spinning and there was a small ringing inside that just wouldn't stop.

Without preparing myself, my body collapsed backwards in a heap, and my back hit the floor with a thud. My lips parted as I tried to get my legs to move, but they just couldn't. I wouldn't say they were paralyzed, just… weighted. It was like someone put a rock on them and they were too numb to move…

I did the only thing I could think of next: I called out for the one person that cared about me, the _only_ person besides my parents that I had ever called whenever I was afraid, my big brother.

"Takahiro," was my raspy call. It sounded so low that it was almost muted. I strained every muscle in my neck to turn my head, becoming aware of my surroundings as my vision slowly returned to focus. The room was lighter in tone than downstairs had been. The wood used was made of what looked like oak and the desk on the left side of the room matched the light floor. The white walls made me feel like I was suffocating in solitary confinement, and the closed window gave me the impression that I was trapped, and…

 _The window…?_

Was that my ticket to freedom?

As I lay struggling, all I could think about was Takahiro and this Akihiko guy… I'd heard them talk on the phone a lot, and I knew he was some famous author, but he never came over when I was around. During their phone conversations, Takahiro always called him Usagi-san… I've always assumed them to be best friends, but if this guy was in love with my brother then… I huffed, feeling waves of uneasiness. _Nothing_ was making sense to me now and the dizziness in my head wouldn't go away. Somehow I found enough strength in my right arm to wipe the small amount of sweat that had collected on my forehead.

"Takahiro," I whispered.

I could hear a dog barking downstairs, but I couldn't overhear any yelling. Were the Usami's capable of yelling or did they normally fight while standing in cool poses and using only their sharp tongues to finish their wars…?

 _Do rich people use their fists to fight or their words…? What if they bought other people like hit men…?! What if they just bought their enemies?!_ Money gave people limited restrictions these days, and anyone could buy their way out of anything with a decent price.

Admittedly, I actually felt excited about the thought of them possibly arguing. This was like one big soap opera and I needed popcorn… but I _did_ want to get home. When Haruhiko had taken me this morning, I had already brushed my teeth, showered, changed and just when I was about to take my meds, the doorbell rang. I had said to myself, "I wonder who that is…"

Now all I'm thinking is, _I wonder when, and if, I'll ever get out of here…_

"Takahiro," I whispered. It took me a minute to find some strength again, and once I had, I rolled over and pressed my palms against the floor. I used them for leverage as I pushed myself up on all fours and crawled over to the window—my only escape.

I could hear a loud dog barking as I moved, and it was getting louder as I reached up for the metal latch, flipped it, and pushed the glass open. The sun pouring in felt even hotter now that it was kissing my skin directly, and while I squinted from the brightness, I pushed myself up so that I could stand. Once I had, I leaned against the frame to peer down below.

I saw that I was on the second floor and there was freshly cut grass, along with several red rose bushes aligned perfectly along the mansion's exterior. A beautiful forest was close by, and the birds were chirping out of tune. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, something I wasn't used to… It's so weird how everything looked so picturesque on the surface, but on the inside; behind closed doors… it was unwelcoming.

"Okay, Misaki," I whispered to myself. A pep talk was the only chance I had of getting out of here. "Time to get moving. You can do this…" I absently strummed my fingers over the wooden frame. "What to use…? What to use…? " Glancing behind me, I almost wanted to smack myself at my lack of observation.

 _You'd think I would've noticed the bed over there_ , I thought, scratching my chin with my index finger. When I became aware of what I'd done, I nodded to myself. "Got some energy back…" I still needed my medicine, though. If I didn't take it, terrifying things were bound to start happening…

For starters, my body would literally begin to attack itself… then there was the aftermath of…

It was a struggle just walking over to the plain bed and gathering the white sheets. The exhaustion that followed hit me like a tone of bricks and by the end of it—tying them together and strapping them to the beam that was centered on the ceiling—I had heaved the sheets over the window frame with a huff and mopped the sweat on my forehead with the back of my left hand.

 _Now all that's left to do is—_

The sound of the door being pounded on startled me, and I startled by shrieking and turning to see that there was a small crack in its center. _Who the heck has that kind of strength?!_ Even as I gulped, my throat was still pretty dry and I found myself wanting to shrink away until I became invisible to my abductor… unless…

 _Is that…? Takahiro's friend…?_

 _Akihiko…?_

 _No, Takahiro calls him Usagi-san… but is that really him?_ As the door thumped again, I felt unnerved. What if it had been Haruhiko? _What if he figured out I'm not Takahiro?_ I didn't know the man, so I didn't know what he was capable of, but I assumed the worst since he _did_ have the guts to abduct me in broad daylight—right off my front porch—and casually toss me into the backseat of his car…

When the door crashed open, to avoid it, I jumped back…

I hadn't really factored in the how close I still was to the open window, or that I was suddenly falling backwards as the door was thrown open. I barely had time to process that someone had grabbed my right ankle before I fell the entire way out of it, so I was left hanging outside by my upper half while my legs rested on the window frame.

"Takahiro!" a man shouted at me, but I was unable to see him from this angle. When he peered over the ledge, I'll admit I felt as flabbergasted as he looked right then. He had silver hair, pale skin and he was dressed in a white collared shirt with a navy blue vest. To compliment his attire was a yellow tie, and to compliment this shocked face were his now rounded, violet eyes and parted lips.

I think I frightened him, because the next thing I knew he had this baffled expression, like when you run towards someone you were expecting in a dream and their face turns into something else, so then all you're left to do is either flinch and scream or flinch and runaway…?

Well, he didn't scream.

And he didn't run away...

But he _did_ flinch, and when that happened, his grip on my leg loosened, causing me to continue my fall. I just remember the entire time that I fell, I gazed into his intense eyes—and boy did they look accusatory… It was like he was mad at me for not being Takahiro, as if this were all _my_ fault.

 _I_ was the victim here—not _him_ …

...

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 **A/N:** So a friend suggested that I read this manga/watch this anime because she's so yaoi obsessed. I've only ever read two manga prior to this to see if I'd like it, and I wasn't really pulled in. But after reading this manga and giving the anime a go, I can honestly say that I absolutely fell in love with these characters! The anime has become one of my guilty pleasures!

I'll explain what Misaki's autoimmune disease is in the coming chapters, and this whole family registry spousal business. The latter is subtly depicted in the cover art… I started writing this in third-person but I just didn't like how the chapter turned out so feel free to tell me if this was horrible or whatnot. I don't mind feedback so if you have time you're welcome to leave a review or something!


	2. Frisky

**The only thing that kept this chapter T rated is because I opted on not going into much detail about a certain scene below. I'm not in the mood to write an M-rated story in this section. So sue me.**

 **Chapter 2: Frisky**

"Misaki!" Takahiro called me. "You're awake!"

My first thought was, _For someone who just found out his brother was kidnapped and fell out of a window, he sure sounds happy_. My second thought had been, _Wait. I didn't fall; I was dropped._

 _Usagi-san_ dropped _me!_

With a disgruntled sigh, I slowly fluttered my eyes open, seeing Takahiro's excited dark irises peering back at me from where he sat at the edge of the hospital bed. He was dressed in a navy-blue suit and his glasses were gone. I started to wonder why he had taken them off, until I heard a familiar voice say, "Here, Takahiro. All clean." _Usagi-san…_ Takahiro reached to retrieve them from Usagi-san's hand, but the man had other ideas. He had the _nerve_ to place them back on my brother's face and kiss his forehead with a smile that I found… attractive?

 _Whoa!_ I thought with wide eyes. _Did I… did I really just think that?_ I groaned, feeling my cheeks burning at the intimate exchange. _What am I saying…?_

"Ah, Usagi-san," Takahiro said, giving him a nervous chuckle. "You didn't have to do that." I bet if he kissed Takahiro square on the lips, my brother would think it was because he was just being friendly… which had me wondering if Usagi-san kissed all of his _friends_ …

He'd been standing close to the right side of the bed, near Takahiro. His tone was soft as he reminded, "They were covered in dry tear stains."

 _Takahiro… had been crying?_

I sat up, feeling a frown form on my lips. "Takahiro—" A hiss escaped me when I tried to reach for him. Trying to point at the guy who dropped me was out of the question, too, because of the IV that'd been placed in my vein. Even budging the limb slightly hurt to move, but I suspected that majority of my pain was coming from hitting the ground and not being able to take my meds on time earlier. There wasn't a proper way to describe it—aside from feeling intense—but I guess it felt like someone had taken a brick and took their sweet time slamming it against every part of my body until they were satisfied with the results.

Takahiro touched my hand, offering me a gentle grin. His eyes were puffy and I knew that I'd unintentionally worried him because of those Usami brothers. "It's all right," he tried to assure me. "It's a good thing Usagi-san found you when he did."

I quieted, and my eyes darted towards the Usami brother, whose eyes were completely unfazed by my glower. It was almost like he was confident enough to know that I wouldn't tell—as if he were mocking me and daring me to voice the truth. "Rescued me…?" _Is this some kind of sick joke?_

Takahiro nodded. "Yes." His eyes were shining with this false hope. I said 'false hope' because Usagi-san did _not_ rescue me. If anything he escalated the situation and made it worse than it already was. "If he hadn't found you, you'd be dead."

A 'tch' sound escaped my lips. This guy wasn't a hero. He was… Well, he was…

 _What was he in this situation?_ He hadn't kidnapped me; his brother had, so I couldn't say that he deserved to be locked behind bars. I _could_ say that he dropped me, though, even if it might've been an accident.

With that in mind, I said, "Takahiro—"

"The man who did this has already been arrested," Usagi-san cut in. His eyes were fixated on mine the entire time he spoke, and I found myself taking in the structure of his face—no, wait… I meant…

 _I'm confused. Maybe it's the medication; I'm sure the doctors gave me something._ I nodded. _Yeah, that's gotta be it._

Takahiro seemed satisfied with his answer. "Good." He reached for me and combed his hand through my hair so that my bangs wouldn't be in my eyes. I didn't want to cut the strands, even though they were getting pretty long. "I can't imagine what I'd do if I lost you, Misaki."

I was too tired to muster an answer, so I took his hand and squeezed it.

"Would you like some ice cream?" he offered. "The doctor says you'll be released in the morning so you're going to be here all day, and I'll stay as long as I can."

I frowned and gazed at the clock on the beige wall. It was only one in the afternoon… "I… yeah…" My thoughts felt as weak as I did, and Takahiro definitely noticed.

"I'll be right back," he said, rising from the bed. As he head to the door, he glanced at Usagi-san. "Could you—?"

"I'll watch him," the man offered.

 _Sure_ , I thought bitterly. _Leave me here with_ him. We both knew what was about to commence, knowing we needed to talk.

Once Takahiro had left, I parted my lips to speak, but Usagi-san lifted his left hand, signaling me to pause while he eyed the door. The action reminded me of a prince, or some type of liege, in a way. He waited a good five seconds before he crossed his arms and cast a disinterested gaze in my direction. "You've got some explaining to do," was his quiet, rude command.

My jaw slacked. _Excuse me?_ "What…? _Me_?" My brows rose. " _I've_ got some explaining to do? You and your brother are the sick people who kidnapped me!" I used my good arm to point at him, although it was a sluggish movement. "I'll bet the two of you probably planned this, and illegally wrote my brother's name on your family's registry!"

He scoffed, inclining his chin up. "I did no such thing." He must've thought the sun shined out of his ass or something. He was giving me _that_ kind of vibe, and did he always have to look so bored whenever he talked?

"Why are you Usami's so fascinated with my brother?" I asked. I was getting frustrated. "Just leave him alone; he's a good person."

"He is," Usagi-san agreed. His tone was clipped. At least we agreed on something.

My nostrils flared at the superior glare he was giving me. "It's obvious you're rich."

There was a fire starting in his eyes the longer his glower remained intact. "So?"

"So you'd have no trouble going out to find some other guy's life you can ruin— _anyone_ other Takahiro." I dismissed him with a wave of my left hand. "Go find someone else to stalk and fantasize about." Takahiro didn't need the Usami's in his life. They were creepy and they deserved to be behind bars.

He made a 'tch' sound as he slowly approached the bed. "Is that so?"

I wasn't about to back down. There was no way I'd let this man win. "It is," I said, sounding confident. "You—what are you doing?!" He had ripped my blankets off.

The scheming look in his eyes as the bed dipped disturbed me. "Taking you up on your offer." He positioned his left knee between my legs and leaned his body over mine. When he grabbed me by my left arm—the limb that wasn't attached to an IV—he pinned it above my head.

"You perverted old man!" I shouted in a hoarse voice. It sounded weaker than intended, almost matching a whisper. "Stop!"

He ignored me, keeping me in place with his firm hand. "Any guy will do, right?" he asked, and I stiffened when I felt his hand inch it's way up the white hospital gown I was wearing.

"G-get off me," I groaned out. My face was heating up, and the smug gleam in his eyes told me he was definitely enjoying this. Sick bastard. I tried kicking him, only to realize that my right foot was elevated and wrapped in gauze. _I must've sprained my ankle during the fall,_ I thought.

He chuckled and bent down to whisper in my right ear while I lay there at his disposal like a rag doll. "Are you going cry out?" His lips were brushing against the shell of my lobe and chill bumps formed on my arms.

 _Never..._ That's what he wanted me to do, and I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

I squirmed when I felt his palm intruding on my skin, but I refused to call for help. The entire time, I focused on the white ceiling and bit at my bottom lip to prevent any unwanted noises to reveal themselves. Usagi-san moved so that his forehead was touching the right side of my face and the light, husky chuckles I felt were giving me the craziest sensations. I hadn't gotten this excited (physically speaking) since puberty had first hit me, when Takahiro had tried his best to give me the birds and the bees talk. I didn't apply any of what he said to this situation, though, because well…

 _Usagi-san's a guy._ _I was… in the hospital being… with a guy?_ My thoughts were jumbled and the only decent sentence I was able to formulate was: _Am I into men?_

As my lips parted, I released a flustered groan, and I could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "You're cute." I'll admit, the tone sounded attractive—in a freakishly weird kind of way, given the situation I'd gotten myself into.

 _Me and my big mouth..._

The friction was over before it even started, and I couldn't help but close my eyes after he removed his hand and said, "That was fast." I'm pretty sure my face was beat red, too. He still hadn't gotten off me and when I turned to face him, our noses brushed. He'd just gotten finished licking his thumb…

Again, I found his eyes, his very movements, attractive.

"I'm back!" Takahiro announced as he entered. He didn't seem appalled to find his friend on top of me, in this more than obvious intrusive position, and he was even beaming brighter than usual, like he welcomed the idea…

And then it hit me…

 _Oh, God_ , I thought in mortification. _Takahiro's used to_ this _type of weird behavior, too, isn't he…?_ The man probably smooched and touched on my big brother all the time!

Usagi-san climbed off me, and fixed my bed sheets, only to seat himself in the previous location that Takahiro had been sitting before he left. "Your brother's cute." He'd already said this before, and I hated the word. I was eighteen. There was no need to call me such a degrading name—a name used to describe children.

Takahiro was practically glowing with pride. "He favors our mother in looks." He came around the other side of the bed, offering me the white bowl he carried. "Here you go, Misaki. It's your favorite!"

I felt too flustered to respond, still getting over my euphoric state of mind. Really, I kind of wanted to dose off and welcome any sleep that decided to overtake me, but I _did_ want that ice cream. The only problem was that I literally couldn't move and the arm that Usagi-san previously held above my head hadn't moved since he'd last positioned it… _Bitch in heat_ , was my first, random thought. _Caught in the afterglow_ , was the second. These meds were no joke.

Takahiro's hand lowered slightly before he placed the bowl on the nearby stand. "Your face is extremely red, Misaki. Are you coming down with a fever?"

 _Coming down from a high_ , I mused, shutting my eyes in horror once I grasped what I'd just thought. _Who does something like this in a hospital?_ Takahiro checked my forehead with the back of his palm while Usagi-san covered his mouth and turned away. I could tell the evil man was hiding his grin.

"Should I go get the doctor," my big brother asked.

Usagi-san shook his head, facing us again. His eyes were dancing in amusement and I fought the urge to roll mine. "He'll be fine, Takahiro. Maybe's too fatigued to do much of anything right now. He's had a long day, after all." He extended his hand. "I'd be happy to feed him."

I wanted to die. _Of course you would_ , I thought. He just wanted to see me squirm again.

"His face can't get any redder," Takahiro said, oblivious to everything, as always. He grabbed the bowl off the stand and handed the item to Usagi-san, who took the plastic spoon and pushed it near my lips. Swallowing my pride, like earlier, I opened my mouth and he carefully began feeding me the ice cream by inching the spoon into my mouth. Honestly, I couldn't have fed myself even if I wanted to. I just felt so frail…

 _Mmm, chocolate…_ It tasted great. The delicious flavor caused me to smile, if only for a moment.

"I'm going to go ask the doctor about your new doses," Takahiro explained, heading towards the door again. "Be right back."

Once he'd left, Usagi-san scooped up another spoonful of the frozen treat, and this time, I easily parted my lips to allow him entry. As I was eating, he said, "My brother hasn't been arrested."

I froze, and creases formed above my brows as they furrowed. "Then, why did you say earlier that he had?"

"I didn't want to worry, Takahiro," he explained.

"But he kidnapped me," I said. "So shouldn't the police—"

He cut me off by shoving some ice cream in my mouth. "Eat." When I frowned at him, he said, "Please, Misaki…" Don't ask me why, but I did. I lapped at every morsel on that spoon. The way he said my name… the feels.

"Haruhiko is a complicated person."

I didn't appreciate his comment. "You say that like what he did was okay." It most definitely wasn't. I could've died after Haruhiko's stunt. Not in that whole valley girl kind of way, where they're all 'Oh my God, mom! When they like didn't have the shoes I like wanted, like I could've died! Like, _really_!' My situation _was_ actually life or death. "What you did to me earlier wasn't okay, either," I whispered. "Dropping me, lying to Takahiro about dropping me, or what you did here…" He wasn't making himself look good.

"I'm well aware, Misaki." He sounded genuinely upset, and he was peering down at the bowl of ice cream as if he were a child in time out.

Okay, now _he_ was the one who looked cute. It bothered me how much I was fascinated by him.

"If he gets arrested," I started. "He could easily get himself out with all the money your family has… couldn't he?"

"Yes," Usagi-san said. "That's why there's no sense in pressing charges."

"…Is he dangerous?"

"Not physically," was the irritated reply. He was glaring down at my ice cream now and when he scooped up another lump and placed the spoon into my mouth, some of it dripped onto the left side of my lips. I used my tongue to swipe at the small mess and the action didn't go unnoticed by Usagi-san, who was observing me with an unreadable expression.

"What?" I asked as innocently as I could.

He shook his head. "...Haruhiko had no intentions of harming your brother today, and neither did I."

"But he said he put his name on the family registry," I reminded. "As his spouse—that's not even legal."

"That was probably said to get a reaction out of me," Usagi-san said. "I'll look into it."

"And if it _wasn't_ just a reaction?" I asked. "Does that mean illegally, Takahiro could be part of the Usami family—that illegally he could be related to you…?" _That I could be related to you by default…?_

The idea made me sick.

"Even if there are documents stating this, they can't be taken into effect, because they're forged and it's against the law." That made me relax a little and he offered me another spoonful of ice cream. As I parted my lips, he said, "I'm probably the last person you trust at the moment."

I agreed with a light hum.

"But I need you to believe me when I say that I love your brother and I'd never do anything to hurt him, Misaki." For some reason, part of me actually believed him, although I'm not sure why.

A groan escaped my lips. "Sure…" I was feeling too tired, but at least I'd been given my medication. I knew the doctors had done this because I didn't feel the oxygen was getting sucked out of my body. I felt fatigued and brutally sore, sure, but nowhere near close to dying like I had earlier this morning.

"Your brother says you suffer from an incurable autoimmune disease," Usagi-san spoke up.

Now I felt uncomfortable. I never liked to discuss my health issues with strangers because of the looks I'd receive. The worst thing I've ever heard someone say after explaining my disease to them was, "You don't look sick, so you're not really sick." I hadn't known that there was a certain appearance you had to keep up if you were ill. That's like telling someone who's able to walk—and has a handicap sign on their car—that they can't park in the designated handicapped areas because they 'don't look handicapped'. It's ridiculous.

"Yeah," was all I could manage. I didn't want to talk about it.

"He says despite that, you haven't let it affect you from trying to live a normal lifestyle." Usagi-san eyed me with a thoughtfulness lingering in his eyes, one that I appreciated. "I think that's remarkable."

My eyes widened briefly before they relaxed, and I felt a familiar blush creeping along my cheeks. "Thanks…"

He placed the bowl in his lap, holding it with both palms as our gazes remained locked. "What are your plans now that you've graduated?" His voice was softer, more considerate.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I've tried applying for part-time jobs, but most people don't want to hire someone with a potential health risk—too many liabilities."

His left brow rose. "And college?"

I turned away. "That's not really for me…"

He took his time replying, probably thinking over what I'd said. "…Is it poor academics?" When I nodded, he said, "Would you like to go to college, though?"

I scoffed, turning to face him. "Of course, but… that's impossible."

"There are community colleges around here," he argued.

Sighing, I said, "But the school I want to go to is Mitsuhashi…" It was impossible for someone with my poor grades to get into, and I think Usagi-san must've known this because his eyes enlarged briefly. He didn't laugh, like I'd expected, though. He simply nodded, and I felt grateful.

After humming it over, he said, "If you could, which department?"

"Economics," I answered automatically. "For sure…"

"Why that school, Misaki?"

 _Here we go_ , I thought. I didn't want to go into detail about my parents, but I knew if he heard me out, he'd understand… or at least _try_ to get it. "You know, don't you—about our parents' car accident all those years ago?" After seeing him nod, I said, "When they died, Takahiro gave up everything to raise me by himself, and he never got the opportunity to go to the school he got accepted into…"

"Mitsuhashi University," Usagi-san guessed.

I sighed. "Yeah… that's why I told myself if I ever get the opportunity, it _had_ to be Mitsuhashi… but with my grades—"

"It'll be easy," he assured me. There was an air of confidence surrounding him now; I could even see it flashing in his eyes and teasing me in his smirk.

My eyes narrowed skeptically. "I just told you it's impossible, Usagi-san. You don't have to joke around—"

"You're getting into that university because your grades on the entrance exams _will_ improve, Misaki." He touched his chest. "After all, The Great Usami will be your teacher."

I felt like I was being pranked. "Seriously?"

"' _Seriously_ ,'" he mimicked, causing me to blush.

"But why would _you_ help _me_ after—?"

"You said it's for Takahiro," he reminded. "And I'd do _anything_ to make him happy."

A moment of understanding passed between us and I found myself smiling. "Same," I whispered.

Silence flooded around us until I heard a quiet, "I'm sorry." I knew he meant it.

I didn't want to accept it just yet, so I asked, "When do we start my tutoring sessions?" It'd take a lot for me to fully trust this man, but he was my ticket to getting into that university and disease or no disease, I wanted to make my big brother proud. I just hoped that Usagi-san meant what he'd said about Haruhiko not really being a threat.

…

* * *

 **A/N:** I feel like this chapter was slow but I addressed everything I needed to in terms of my storyboard. I want Haruhiko's character to be as weird as he was in the anime in terms of how he treats Misaki x1000 so expect him to be significantly in character lol I'm also not sure I want Misaki to be all freaked out every time Usagi-san kisses him like in the anime. It kind of annoys me when they have a cute moment and Misaki finds a way to say 'What are you doing?! We're both guys!' I can see if it's a starting relationship and he was new to it, but after all that time they spent together it didn't seem accurate.

I don't mind feedback, so if you have time and sat through this you're welcome to leave a review or hit a button. Favs and alerts never hurt anybody. Thanks to everyone who's read so far!

 **Reply to guest reviewer** **Mikoto13** **:** Omg! Yaoi hands? It took me a minute to get what you meant and then I backtracked. Idk why every Yaoi anime I've seen so far has those yaoi hands for the seme, but they're all I see now! O.o Thanks! And thanks for reviewing all my stuff! You didn't have to do that! I've watched Love Stage recently! Love it! :)


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